Car seal



E. DIETZE CAR SEALq nec, 16, 1924.

F11-ed *July 12, 1922 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 15, 1924.

niais.

EliIL DIETZE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T AfiERICl-hl CASTING AND MANU- FACTRING- CORPORATION, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,

YORK.

A CORPGRATON OF NEW CAR SEAL,

Application filed July 12,

T0 all 'who/m, t may concern:

Be it known that l, EMIL Din'rzn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Queens, in the county of Queens, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful lfrnprovements in Car Seals, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car seals for securing the contents of freight cars and for other purposes; one obj ect among many that might be mentioned being to simplify and perfect devices of this kind so that their manufacture may be less expensive and the locking effect produced by the interengagement of the parts may be very secure and strong, so as to effectually prevent any disengagement, or any unauthorized tampering with the parts.

The class of seals with which l am primarily concerned employs a shackle of frangible material or sheet-metal, as tin, that is bent upon itself and carries a hollow head, bulb or housing into which both ends of the shackle are inserted and held against withdrawal by automatic locking means within the head.

rl`he invention may be said therefore to consist essentially in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

ln the annexed drawing illustrating my invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective view yof my iinproved car seal, in its operative position with the shackle locked in the bulb or head, both the permanent and loose ends of the shackle being locked.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional plan view of certain of the parts on the line 2, 2, of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view 0f the head vor bulb and both the ends of the shackle locked within the same, the section being taken in a plane at right angles to the section of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-section on the line 4, l, of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical section similar to Figui-e 3, but with the ends of the shackle shown outside of the head before they are 1922. Serial No. 574,491.

inserted into the latter for locking interengagement.

Figure 6 is a perspective detail view of one form of spring-catch or lock.

Figure i" is a detail perspective view of one end of the shackle.

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of the other end of the shackle.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a blank cut out of sheet metal before it is bent int-o shape to forni the channel piece.

Figure l0 is a sectional view of the bulb or head, similar to the section in Figure 5, and shows an alternative form of springcatch or lock arranged therein.

Figure ll is a detail perspective view of the same alternative form of catch.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts 'throughout all the different figures of the drawing.

There are four niain mechanical members in niy seal device, namely, the shackle, the channel piece, the spring catch or lock, and the head or bulb. The ends of the sl'iackle are introduced into the channel piece, which is located within the bulb, and the spring catch also in the bulb locks these shackle ends in said channel-piece, one end of the shackle being permanently attached when the parts are originally assembled, and the other left loose for insertion when the seal is operatively applied for use.

l denotes the shackle, which is of suitable material, as sheet-metal, tin for example. and easily breakable when desired, though when once broken itcannot be restored or reattached to the other parts. ln applying my improved seal to a car or otherwise the two ends of the shackle l are bent around so as to be opposite cach other. and are both inserted into the bulb or head 2. as shown in Figure l.

@ne end of the tin strap or shackle l, as u, is shown in Figure 7, and is provided with one or more parallel slots i7 and le. near the end thereof, said end being indented at lei betweenthe prongs l5. lli. Near the indent 14T is a tip or lug l5, preferably stamped out, and having locking function with the channel piece, as l shall presently explain, and near the innermost slot li' is a lug or projection it, also prcl erably stamped out of the metal, and acting as a stop to prevent the shackle end 0, from lll being pushed too far into the channel piece. The prongs 13, 13, may be omitted when desired, provided the end of the shackle which forms the bottom edge of the notch let is the right distance from the stop 16 to bring said notch or end 14 in the proper place relatively to the channel piece. Further this end of the shackle is preferably transversely curved, as shown in Figure i', in order to make it tit more tightly in tht [iat throat or channel of the channel piece. It may carry any kind of an inscription, as for example, the name or initials of the railroad company, as 1). R. It. The shackle end c is permanently attached in assembling the parts.

The other end of the shackle 1, as l), is shown in Figure S, and is similarly provided with one or more parallel slots 2O and 21 of the sainesize and shape as slots 17 and 18, an'd tadapted to coincide with the latter when the two ends a. and L are in place in the head 2, as seen in Figure 3. The end h is provided near the innermost slot 20 with a lug or projection 19, preferably stamped out of the metal, and acting as a stop to in'erent the shackle end Z) from being pushed too far into the channel piece, while the end ot' the p'art Z) is squared across or other: shaped, so that the length of part 7) from the stop 19 to the end 22 will be longer than the length of part a from the stop 1G te the bottom edge of notch lll, in order tha the end 22 may function with the spring lock, as I shall explain. rllhe part?) nr v also carry any -suitable inscription, a nuniber, for example 3595. End b of the shackle is loose until the seal is in use; then it will be locked in the head.

The bulb or housing 2 is made in a single integral piece, like a cap or thlmble, with a fiange 8 around its open end, which flange is caused to lit tightly over the circular edge of the bottom plates d of the channel piece. The mode of connecting the parts 2 and /ltogether may vary greatly, but if the edge of the bulb 2 is grooved and flanged so that it can be bent over members l as shown, it will securely hold the said plate n'ien'lbers l of the channel piece so that there will be a Very rm union of these darts' and nlA 7 means of entrance into the bulb alter thef'. parts are united can be had except throng-a the slot 29 found at the bottoni of said channel piece and admitting to the clnmnel 230, as shown in Figure 5, which channel ill) runs axially into the bulb 2 and is supported therein and efectually protected thereby.

This 4channel or channel piece, as I term it, is preferably formed by first cutting out a sheet metal blank, an example of which is shown in Figure 9 and then bending said blank into the channeled shape shown inFigures 2, 3 and 5. This blank hasthe two main duplicate sections A and B, divided by the dotted line 12, 12, each of these sections consisting of a semicircular end portion 4, situated at the end of a straight section 5, that merges into a curved-edged section 6, at the end of which is the dividing line 12, 12, contiguous to which dividing line on two adjacent spaced parallel lines of bending within the ends of the recess 7, the said two sections A and B are bent at rightangles, as clearly shown in Figure 5, so as to lie alongside of and parallel to each other, while the semicircular parts 4, l, are Vbent at right angles to the sections 5, 5, and together form t'he circular base of the channel piece, which base is connected to the end -3 of bulb 2, as already explained. One section y5 is somewhat narrower than the other section '5, the narrow one having right-angled side flanges 10, and the wider one having rightangled side flanges 11 that are larger than and adapted to overlap the flanges 10 when the sections 5, 5, 'are folded alongside ofV each other to form the channel 30 as seen in Figure 5, and said flanges 10 keep the parts 5, 5, separated from contact with each other so as to leave the channel 30 free and clear for the entrance of the shackle ends c and b, and preserve an open throat or channel which cannot collapse or be pressed together or obstructed lat rainy time, as these flanges positively hold lthe members 5 at the proper distance from each other. See Figure A'l and also Figures 3 and 5 which indicate the flat channel 30 in the `channel piece, and the 'entrance 29 thereto. The sections 5, 5, are provided with inner slots S and outer'slots 9, the two slots 8 `coinciding with each other after the yblank is folded, and the two slots 9 coinciding with each other after the blank is folded. Said blank has also 'acentral cut out 'opening 7 in both 'sections *6, e, that furnishes the space in which the tip ends of the members c and 7) and the spring catch function when they are interlocked with the channel piece. This recess has the bottom edges c, c,y as seen in Figures 2k and `9, over w ich the lip 1:5 engages, while the members 6, 6, form holders between them atv each side of the space 7 for the prongs 13 on the shackle, that is to say the laps form a slide so that the shackle ends must slide between them in a direct passage` p'rovidedisaid prongs with as suggested.

It will thus be seen that the two ends of the shackle 1 can be inserted into the 'chanw nel piece alongside of each other, as lshown in Figures 3 and 5. In F ligure 5 the two ends are shown outside the bulb and in readiness to be inserted. In Figure 3 they are shown as inserted and locked therein. The end a, will be inserted first, for this is a permanent attachment made in assemare used, though they may be dispensedv lll() lOfi lll)

lill

bling the parts, and will be pushed in through mouth 29 and throat 30 until the lug 15 engages the edge c in the bottom of cut-out recess '7 and the stop 16 will abut against the bottom 4 ot the channel piece and keep the shackle end o from going in any further. Then when the seal is used the end Z) will be inserted alongside ot end L until its stop 19 abuts against the bottom 4 of channel piece and prevents end Y; from a further advance, at which time the end 22 oit the part b will be beyond the lug 15, as shown in Figure 3, in order to actnate the spring latch or lock, as I shall explain. With this construction therefore it is impossible to insert anything into the channel piece except the two ends of the shackle; the channel piece is so made that it cannot be spread open to allow anything else to enter thereinto; and if the shackle is broken the broken end cannot be re-inserted into the channel, for the broken piece will be inside, locked securely against withdrawal, and hence the throat 30 will be tull and nothing else can enter; thus the security of the sefal against tampering is insured.

rlhus the bulb, housing or head in one piece entirely encloses the locking mechanism and prevents tampering with the seal, as so often happens when the head is made ot two or more parts. l/Vith such construction it is impossible to squeeze the bulb or channel together and make the slot smaller. This is mentioned because one method of tampering with car seals is to break olif one end of the shackle after it has been locked, and re-insert it into the slot as tar as it will go and squeeze the slot together to hold it, thereby making the seal appear to have not been tampered with. Hence l have this extra precaution in the provision ot a structure Where it is impossible to insert anything but the two ends of the shackle.

Having described three ot the chief elements ot my seal, the fourth important tundamental feature of' the seal is the interior 'tree locking spring or spring catch that automatically engages the inner ends ot the shackle within the bulb and locks them within the channel piece. 'llhis catch may be made in many forms. l show two alternative forms, one of vwhich, as 2?, is indicated in Figures 26; and the other, as 3l, is shovun in Figures 10 and 11. ll/hile (littering in detail, they have common essentials, d obviously Yfunction in the same manner,` while moreover, there is a wide latitude in the shapes they may take and the additional ways in which they may be modilied and related. The lirst torm 23 is bent into a U-shape to provide two parallel spring plates 27 and 28, said plate 27 having a lip 24e at right angles thereto and projecting toward 'plate "28, and

plate QS having two similar lips 25 and Q6 (though it may have only one, or as many as desired), projecting toward plate 27. This U-shaped device normally embraces the channel piece, and being of spring metal clasps the twol 'flat sides ol the latter very lirmly, as shown in Figure 5, with the lip @el projecting into the slot 7 between parts G and against or a short distance trom lower edge c oiz slot 7, and with the lip resting tight against the side ot channel piece adja cent to slots S rnd the lip 26 also tight against side oit channel piece adjacent to slots 9. This will be the position or" the spring lock when the parts are assen'ibled and before the ends ot the shackle are inserted into the channel and also after end a has been inserted; and in order to properly position said lock its bottom edge may at this time rest against some part, or its lip 24 may rest against edge c, in order that the lock may not be displaced betere exerting its locking action on the shackle. ln the other 'forni ot loci? which l have shown I-ll denotes an oblong spring metal element, having two opposite sides 33 and 3i' connected by a bend 32, said device embracing the channel piece, with the bend 32 lying normally in the end recess 7 against the bottom edge c thereof, against one of the fiat sides 5 ot the channel. and the other side having a cut-out at 36 to form a lip 35 that tightly engages the opposite side 5 of the channel near slots il and another lip 34 that tightly engages the same side 5 adjacent to the slots 9, while the side 327 is preferably curved to provide wing edges that slide between overlapping flanges 11 ot the channel so as to guide and center the lock in its movement to locking position. Thus in this torni 31 the bend 32 is equivalent in function to the lip 2l et form 23, and the lips 34 and to the lips 25 and 26.

ln the interlocking ot the parts within the bulb the operation o't the spring catch is in both cases precisely the same. l have shown that the channel piece has two ot' slots, as 8 and 9i with which the twin lips or lugs on the catch device snap and eng ge when the device is moved toward the end of the channel 'lioin the normal position above described. (lne ot these locking points is tl'ierelore directly at the entra i io 'the channel, so the shackle locks there and obstructs the passage and eliminates pil'tering. and the other is placed well within the bulb. Of course one locking` point will be n'ieasurably etli'e-L'tive, but l may have sereral it' desited` the number being variable, and theretore the lock may have single or double locking lips.

Now the shackle ends Q- and 7) are inserted into the central passage 30 in the channel piece. `First the end o is inserted and perand with side Si' pressing l manently engaged. Its transversely curved form. causes it to bind against the Walls 5 ofchannel 30 and make a tight fit as it is being inserted, and when clear in and stop 16 has hit bottom Llthe lug 15 will snap over edge 'c in slot 7, but the end of part a is iot long 'enough to strike and disturb the spring catch, or locking spring, for the prongs 13, if used, Will be on opposite sides of the lip 24. When the loose end Y) oit the shackle is inserted into the head, the end Q2 of same will come into Contact with lip 2l of the spring catch and by pushing' it ahead will m'ove the catch and cause the lugs or prongs 25 and 26 to snap into slots 8 and 9, as Well as into slots 17 and 1S and 2O and 21 ot the shackle, which slots are now'registering with slots 8 and 9, sec Figure 3, so that both ends ot the shackleI are lool-:ed to the channel piece. The spring catch may be made ol any resilient material, and may round or flat or any shape. A similar action Atakes place when spring catch 31 usedv instead ot spring catch 23. Further, not only does a 'double locking spring hold the parts together more strongly, but the spring catch absolutely blocks oliE any entrance into slot 29 of the seal with any small tool or appliance with the idea of pickingl the catch. It it were possible to break the catch at the i'irst prong, the second locking prong would still be intact and beyond reach.

Thus I provide a very strong seal. 'I he construction ot the shackle in combination with the channel pie-ce is such that the manufacture of the seal is greatly simplilied, in that the bulb with the entire locking means can be made separately and ahead o't tin'ie, which includes most oit the operations on Vsuch seal. The shackles then are stamped out and numbered and lettered as you please. It is then only necessary to insert the end ot the shackle that is to be permanent into the bulb Where it locks. Obviously many changes in detail and precise .construction may be made at times for convenience.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent, is:

1. In a seal, the combination With a bulb or head, oit a channel member consisting` of parallel slotted pieces, supported rigidly Within the bulb, a shackle Whose ends are adapted to be inserted in the channel member, one end having a lug and engaging the channel member, and a spring catchyvithin the bulb for interlocking both ends of the shackle and the channel member.

2. In a seal, the combination With a bulb or head ot a channel member, consisting of parallel slotted pieces supported rigidly Yithin the bulb, a shackle having ends ot different length which are adapted to be inserted separately into the channel member, and a locking spring Within the bulb, em-

bracing Ithe channel member, Which spring is automatically acted upon by the insertion of the longer end of the shackle, for the purpose of interlocking both ends of the shackle and the channel member.

3. In a seal, the combination With a bulb or head ot a channel `member Within the bulb, Ia 'shackle With ends of different length adapted to be inserted separately into the channel member, vone end hav-ing a lug and mig-aging with the chan-nel mean-ber, and a hacking spring Within the bulb, clasping the channel member and operating the interlocking ends olf the shackle and the channel member, said .interlocking automatically taking place when the longe-1' end of the shackle actuates the spring.

4. In a seal, the combina-tion With a bulb or head, or' a channel member, consisting of,

parallel slotted pieces, supported rigidly -Within the bulb and a spring 'catch and a shackle with ends of different length, adapted to be inserted into the channel member, one end having projecting means to interengage with the channel member, Without al'llecting the spring catch, and the other long end ot' the shackle automatically causing the spring catch to operate and engage the slots in the channel member.

5. In a seal, the combination With a bulb or head, of a channel member Within the bulb, a yshackle 'having vend portions provided with slotsand stop means for limiting their inward movement into the channel member, one lhaving a lug engaging the channel member, and a spring catch Within the bulb thait is ycaused to `act when moved by the other end of 'the shackle.

6. In a seal, the combination With a bulb.'

or head, of a channel member, Within the bulb, a shackle having e'n-d portions of' different length that are adapted to be inserted into the channel member separately, one end portion having -a projection to 'engage the channel member, together with a spring catch Within the bulb, clasping the channel member, for engaging' said end portions oi the shackle separately and locking them together and to the channel member.

7. In a seal, the combination with a bulb or head, of a channel member, yconsisting ot parallel slotted pieces, having angular plates held rigidly within the bulb, a shackle having end portions of diiicrent llength that are adapted to be inserted separately into the channel member Within the bulb `and means for separately securing said end portions Within the channel member, consisting of a lug on one end portion and a spring catch, which operates to lock the members together when said catch is actuated by the insertion of the longer end of vthe shackle.

S. In a seal, the combination with a bulb or head. of a channel member `sec'zured therein and having a central throat or passage l SO formed by slotted parallel integral side pieces, a shackle having end portions of ditn ferent length adapted to be inserted into the channel. member, means tor locking one ot the ends ot the shackle when so inserted, and other means consisting ot a spring catch actuated by the other end ot the shackle When inserted, for interlocking both ends ot the shackle and the channel member together.

9. In a seal, the combination With a bulb or head, ot' a channel vmember Within the bulb, having a throat termed by parallel integral slotted pieces having angular plates secured ri,f.g jidl` Within the bulb. a shackle Whose ends enter the throat ot the channel member and are provided With openings lo register with the openings in said channel member, and a spring catch thatl embraces the channel member and has prongs or lips to engage the said openings therein and in the shackle ends when the spring catch is set tree by contact with the actuatingend ot' the shackle.

l0. ln a seal, the combination ivith a onepiece thimble housing, ot channel member secured in the open end thereof, and having a central passage serving as a throat and formed between tivo parallel. slott yl integral side pieces. said channel. memberl projecting into the housing, and a shackle Whose ends are inserted into the passage in the channel member, together With a spring catch clasping the channel member, and ifestrained from exercising its locking et'efrt on the parts until the end olE the shackleA is inserted having' the tunction of moving the catch.

ll. In a seal. the combination with a thimblel housing, ot a channel member hai'- ing a slotted base secured to the open end ot t-he thimble and with a central passage in communication with the slotted base, the

shackle having slotted ends that are insertible into the channel member, and a spring catch Within the housing having prongs te engage the shackle ends and the channel member.

l2. Ain a seal, the combination With a bulb or head, ot a channel member having a slotted base and a central passage in communication with the slotted base, said channel. member being supported rigidly Within the bulb, a shackle having ends ot different length insertible into the channel member, and a spring catch Wit-hin the bulb clasping the channel member and normally restrained ti'om locking until set tree by the longer end ot the shackle.

13. ln a seal, the combination with a bulb or head, ot channel member secured to the open end oit said bulb and project-ing into the bulb, the said channel member having a central opening and a passage formed by overlapping flanges to provide a noncompressible holder Jior the shackle, a shackle having ends of different length and insertible into the channel member, and a spring catch Within the bulb clasping the channel with a spring action and normally restrained from locking until set tree by Contact with one end ot the shackle.

lu a seal, the combination of a bulb or head, a channel member consisting ol parallel slotted pieces supported rigidly within the bulb. a shackle having its ends inserted into the channel member, and a spring clasp consisting ot a twin-sided member cinbwming the channel member and ladapted to. be actuated by one end of the shackle, said saring clasp having pronos or lips which engage slots in the channel member and the ends ot Jthe shackle.

In testimony Whereot l hereunto aliix in):

signature.

EMIL DI'ETZE. 

